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Not many would have given South Africa a chance to beat India by chasing 240 in the fourth innings of a Test match, that too at Johannesburg. But they did. South Africa broke the Wanderers' jinx and finally registered a win against India. It can not be called a fairytale but it was surely a tale that will have many ears for a long time. The Dean Elgar-led side found their hero in the skipper himself. If it was not for Elgar, South Africa would still be searching for a Test win against India at The Wanderers.
The man led his team from the front and played an unbeaten knock of 96 to take his team over the line. India probably did everything at their disposal to get him out, but he once again proved himself 'a tough nut to crack'. Elgar has often been called a 'stubborn' cricketer for his style of playing. He did the same against the World's one of the best bowling attacks and turned the fortunes around in his favor. He took body blows, took all the sledging, but "no way in hell India could get him out", as he had said to his father a night ago. But how come is he so determined?
In a column to The Indian Express, Richard Elgar (Dean Elgar's father) revealed his conversation with his son from the previous night of South Africa's win. "When we spoke briefly on Wednesday night, Dean told me, ‘Dad! I will be there till the end of the game tomorrow. If they want to get me out, they would have to break something in my body to drag me out of there. They are not going to get me by hitting me on the body. No way in hell’, wrote Richard.
I have never been worried about Dean's body-blows: Richard Elgar
This 'only over my dead body attitude' of Elgar's has fetched him some unbelievable results. He is only the second batsman to feature thrice in the list of 'CARRYING BAT THROUGH A COMPLETED INNINGS' after Desmond Leo Haynes. The southpaw has played some really gritty knocks including an 86* against India at the same venue four years ago. The Indians were happy to keep Elgar at the other end as they had done in 2018 but little did they know the intentions of this 34-year-old 'stubborn' South African.
Elgar's father also talked about where this attitude of Elgar's came from. "Do I get worried when he cops those body-blows? Not really. Because I have seen him do that even at school as a kid. It’s odd or whatever, but somehow it never fazed him. I knew from then that he was tough. Whenever he would get hit, he would get more determined. Grow more stubborn. Even as a boy, so not a surprise that he does it now," wrote Elagr's father.
